Displaced Persons Coordination: Reducing humanitarian aid exacerbates the risk of hunger in Sudan

Amsterdam – Thursday, October 22, 2026 – Radio Dabanga. The General Coordination for Displaced Persons and Refugees Camps has warned that the World Food Programme's reduction of its aid in Sudan—due to funding shortages—threatens the lives of hundreds of thousands who rely on it for their basic food security. The official spokesperson for the Coordination, Adam Regal, told Radio Dabanga that reducing support under these circumstances is not limited to cutting aid quantities, but could deprive displaced families of basic meals and drive them to adopt harsh coping mechanisms, such as withdrawing children from school, selling what remains of their possessions, or reducing the number and size of meals. He pointed out that the most vulnerable groups bear the brunt, particularly children, women, the elderly, and people with disabilities, which exacerbates the risks of malnutrition and disease and threatens their resilience, necessitating urgent international action to prevent further humanitarian deterioration. This move coincides with increasing pressure on food security caused by war and displacement, in addition to the repercussions of drought and climate disturbances affecting agricultural production. Regal stated: “These repercussions cannot be attributed to the ‘El Niño’ phenomenon without defining a timeframe and citing a reliable scientific source; therefore, the statement does not cite the phenomenon as a direct cause.” He added that these factors threaten the livelihoods of affected communities and limit the ability of families to secure food in light of rising prices and dwindling livelihood opportunities. The need to bridge the funding gap. The Coordination's spokesperson called on donor countries and international institutions to urgently bridge the funding gap to ensure the continuation of food aid and its delivery to those in need, as well as to expand the scope of humanitarian response and strengthen nutrition and food security programs, prioritizing the most affected areas. He also demanded the guarantee of safe and unhindered humanitarian access to displaced persons, refugees, and host communities, while intensifying efforts to stop the war and reach a humanitarian truce that allows for the delivery of relief and the protection of civilians. The Coordination’s spokesperson, Adam Regal, emphasized that displaced persons should not have to pay the price of war twice: once by losing their homes and livelihoods, and again by the reduction of the aid they rely on for survival. He concluded by saying that Sudan—in light of expanding needs and declining agricultural production—is in need of more solidarity and funding, not less; protecting the right to food and life is a shared humanitarian responsibility that cannot be delayed.